It is generally known to manufacture infrared radiation absorbing soda-lime-silica glass by the incorporation therein of iron. The iron is generally present in the glass as both ferrous oxide (FeO) and ferric oxide (Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3). The balance between ferrous and ferric oxide has a direct and material effect on the color and transmittance properties of the glass. As the ferrous oxide content is increased (as a result of chemically reducing ferric oxide), the infrared absorption increases and the ultraviolet absorption decreases. The shift toward a higher concentration of FeO in relation to the Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 also causes a change in the color of the glass from a yellow or yellow-green to a darker green or blue-green, which reduces the visible transmittance of the glass. Therefore, in order to obtain greater infrared absorption in glass without sacrificing visual transmittance, it has been deemed necessary in the prior art to produce glass with a low total iron content which is highly reduced from Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 to FeO. A low total iron content glass is generally regarded as one produced from a batch composition having less than about 0.70 to 0.75% by weight iron calculated as Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,303 discloses an infrared absorbing blue soda-lime-silica glass composition, having a visible light transmittance greater than 70% at one quarter inch thickness, wherein at least 80% of the total iron in the glass is maintained in the ferrous state by the inclusion of a reducing quantity of tin metal or stannous chloride in the melt.
Many glass compositions additionally contain cerium for the purpose of providing ultraviolet absorption. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,414,715 discloses the addition of 3% to 6% by weight of ceric oxide to prepare a non-iron-containing glass composition having a flesh tint. The patent additionally teaches that ceric oxide reduces the visible light transmittance of the glass.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,637,439 discloses the use of 5% to 10% by weight of ceric oxide as an ultraviolet absorber in dark blue glass compositions. The glass, which is useful for example for observing the operation of an open-hearth furnace, is made dark blue by the addition of 0.1% to 0.5% by weight of cobalt oxide. The high concentration of ceric oxide absorbs virtually all of the ultraviolet radiation which would otherwise pass through the eye protecting glass. Clearly, such a glass composition has a low visible light transmittance, and would not be useful for automotive or architectural glazings.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,936,231 discloses a colorless glass, wherein ferric oxide is added as an ultraviolet cut-off agent in quantities so small that the resultant glass retains its high visible light transmittance. The suggested total iron content is approximately 0.35% by weight. The patent further discloses that cerium compounds may be added, as ultraviolet radiation cut-off agents, to low total iron containing glass compositions. Thus, the resultant glass compositions retain their colorless appearance and high visible light transmittance properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,524,719 discloses a rose colored glass composition, wherein iron is added to the glass batch as an infrared energy absorber, and selenium is added as an ultraviolet radiation absorber. It is suggested that ceric oxide may be included, at an amount in excess of 3% by weight, to assist the selenium in the absorption of ultraviolet radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2.860,059 discloses an ultraviolet absorbing glass composition, having a low total iron concentration, which is described as superior in visible light transmittance to the greenish-blue glasses generally used in automotive and architectural glazings. The maximum iron content is 0.6% by weight, in order for the glass to maintain its colorless appearance and high visible light transmittance. Titanium dioxide, and up to 0.5% by weight ceric oxide, are added to the glass for the purpose of providing ultraviolet radiation absorption.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,976 discloses a golden color glass particularly adapted for glazing aircraft having an exceptionally low transmittance in the ultraviolet and a high transmittance in the visible. The glass contains iron oxide as a heat absorbing component together with large amounts of both cerium oxide (1.5% to 3%) and titanium oxide (6% to 9%).
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,536 discloses a process for producing an infrared energy absorbing glass, containing a low total iron concentration which is highly reduced to FeO. It is further disclosed that the infrared energy absorption can be increased by including greater amounts of total iron in the glass composition, but states that the visible light transmittance would thereby be reduced below levels considered adequate for automotive glazings. The disclosed process utilizes a two stage melting and refining operation, which provides highly reducing conditions so as to increase the amount of iron in the ferrous state for a given low total iron concentration of from 0.45% to 0.65% by weight. The patent teaches that the iron must be at least 35% reduced to FeO. Most preferably, greater than 50% of the total iron content must be reduced to the ferrous state. It is further disclosed that 0.25% to 0.5% by weight of ceric oxide may be added to low total concentration, highly reduced iron containing glass compositions, for the purpose of absorbing ultraviolet radiation. It is disclosed that higher concentrations of ceric oxide are to be avoided, as they would compromise the overall transmittance properties of the glass. As an example of the glass which may be produced by the process taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,536. Composition No. 11 discloses a low total iron containing glass, which is 30% reduced to FeO, and contains 1% ceric oxide. At a thickness of 4 mm, the total solar energy transmittance is about 52%, and the ultraviolet radiation transmittance is about 37%. The relatively high total solar energy transmittance value results from the low total iron concentration, while the relatively high ultraviolet radiation transmittance value is caused by the low concentration of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, a large portion of which has been reduced to FeO.
It would be desirable to produce a green-colored glass, utilizing conventional float glass technology, for use in automotive and architectural glazings, having a high Illuminant A visible light transmittance of at least 70%, a low total solar energy transmittance of less than about 46%, and a low ultraviolet radiation transmittance of less than about 38%, at nominal glass thicknesses in the range of 3 mm to 5 mm*. A green glass composition having these outstanding transmittance properties can not be produced utilizing the low total concentration, highly reduced iron containing glass compositions employing ceric oxide as disclosed in the prior art. Moreover, the use of a high total iron containing glass for this purpose is contrary to the teachings of the prior art. FNT *It should be understood that by this recitation of glass thickness is meant total glass thickness, and the glazing unit comprising same may be composed of a single glass sheet or two or more glass sheets, the total thickness of which is in the indicated range.
It must be noted that the prior art referred to hereinabove has been collected and examined only in light of the present invention as a guide. It is not to be inferred that such diverse art would otherwise be assembled absent the motivation provided by the present invention.